Double impatiens plant named &#39;Cameo Orange&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Double  Impatiens  plant named ‘Cameo Orange’, characterized by its compact, mounded and outwardly spreading plant habit; rapid growth rate; freely branching habit; dense foliage; freely flowering habit; fully double flower form; and large orange flowers that are positioned above and beyond the foliage.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Plant PatentApplication No. 60/603,849 filed Aug. 23, 2004, which is herebyincorporated by reference in its entirety.

BOTANICAL CLASSIFICATION

Impatiens walleriana

VARIETAL DENOMINATION

‘Cameo Orange’

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Impatienswalleriana, and known by the varietal name ‘Cameo Orange’. The newvariety is a product of a planned breeding program conducted in Cartago,Costa Rica. The purpose of the breeding program was to develop compactand mounded cultivars with fully double flowers, large flower size, andinteresting flower colors. The new variety originated from a cross oftwo proprietary selections of Impatiens walleriana, not patented.Comparisons between the new variety and its parents cannot be made, asthe parental varieties no longer exist. The cultivar ‘Cameo Orange’ wasdiscovered and selected as a flowering plant within the progeny of thestated cross in controlled environment in Cartago, Costa Rica. Asexualreproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings has shown that theunique features of the new variety are stable and reproduced true totype in successive propagations.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Cameo Orange’. Characteristics thatdistinguish ‘Cameo Orange’ as a new and distinct cultivar from othersknown to the breeder include:

1) Large flower size of 4.5 to 5.0 cm in diameter;

2) Compact, mounded, spreading growth habit;

3) Freely branching habit;

4) Rounded leaves with dense foliage;

5) Time to produce a finished plant in a 10 cm pot is 5 to 6 weeks; and

6) Orange flowers are carried above the leaf canopy and face upward.

Plants of the new variety can be compared to plants of the Impatienswalleriana cultivar ‘Fiesta Deep Orange’. In side-by-side comparisonsconducted in Lompoc, Calif., plants of the new variety differed fromplants of the cultivar ‘Fiesta Deep Orange’ in the followingcharacteristics:

1) Plants of the new variety had peduncles of a color of 146B, whereasthe plants of ‘Fiesta Deep Orange’ had peduncles of a color of 147C;

2) Plants of the new variety had flowers with a color of 41A, whereasplants of ‘Fiesta Deep Orange’ had flowers with a color of 44D withstreaks of 41D;

3) Plants of the new variety had a stem color of 146D with a cast of184C, whereas plants of ‘Fiesta Deep Orange’ had a stem color of 148Cwith cast of 184C mostly around the nodes;

4) Plants of the new variety had mature leaves that were longer andwider leaves than plants of ‘Fiesta Deep Orange’;

5) Plants of the new variety were taller than plants of ‘Fiesta DeepOrange’; and

6) Plants of the new variety had a mounded and spreading plant habit,whereas the plants of ‘Fiesta Deep Orange’ had a mounded to semi-uprightplant habit.

Plants of the new varaiety can also be compared to plants of theImpatiens walleriana cultivar ‘Fiesta Orange Spice’. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Lompoc, Calif., plants of the new varietydiffered from plants of ‘Fiesta Orange Spice’ in the followingcharacteristics:

1) Plants of the new variety had a mounded spreading plant habit,whereas plants of ‘Fiesta Orange Spice’ had a semi-upright plant habit;

2) Plants of the new variety had leaves that were longer and wider thanplants of ‘Fiesta Orange Spice’;

3) Plants of the new variety had a stem color of 146D with a cast of184C, whereas plants of ‘Fiesta Orange Spice’ had a stem color of 147Cwith flecks of 184C;

4) Plants of the new variety had flowers with a color of 41A, whereasplants of ‘Fiesta Orange Spice’ had flowers with a color of 33B; and

5) Plants of the new variety had peduncles with a color of 146B, whereasplants of ‘Fiesta Orange Spice’ had peduncles with a color of 148C.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying colored photographic drawing illustrates the newvariety with the colors being as nearly true as is possible to obtain incolored illustrations of this type.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The cultivar ‘Cameo Orange’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, day length and lightintensity. However there is no variance in genotype.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants were grownunder commercial practice during the winter of 2003 in Lompoc, Calif.,in a corrugated polycarbonate-covered greenhouse with 30% shadecovering. During the production of the plants, day temperatures rangedfrom 21 to 24° C.; night temperatures ranged from 16 to 18° C.; andlight levels ranged from 4000 to 5000 foot candles of light. Plants usedin the following description were grown in 15 cm containers for aboutnine to ten weeks after planting rooted cuttings.

-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Summer: About 10 days at 21° C.            Winter: About 12 days at 21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Summer: About 21 days at            21° C. Winter: About 21 days at 21° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous, fine, white in color.        -   Root habit.—Freely branching, dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   General appearance.—Compact, mounded and outwardly            spreading. Appropriate for 10-15 cm pots and 20 to 25 cm            hanging basket containers.        -   Growth and branching habit.—Vigorous and freely-branching            habit with at least 10 lateral branches developing per            plant, dense growth. Pinching (removal of terminal apex) is            usually not required.        -   Crop time.—Relatively rapid growth rate. From planting one            rooted cutting in a 10 cm pot: About 5 to 6 weeks. From            planting three rooted cuttings in a 25 cm hanging basket            container: About 8 to 10 weeks.        -   Plant height at flowering.—About 18 to 20 cm.        -   Plant width (spread).—About 28 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 15 to 20 cm.            Diameter: About 8 to 10 mm. Internode length: About 1 to            2 cm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 146D with a cast of            184C.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple; densely            foliated. Length: About 5 to 5.5 cm. Width: About 2.5 to            3 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute. Base: Acute to rounded.            Margin: Slightly serrated with fine ciliation. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous. Venation pattern:            Pinnate. Color: Developing leaves, upper surface: 147A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: 148A. Fully expanded            leaves, upper surface: 146A. Fully expanded leaves, lower            surface: 146C with cast of 184D in some areas. Venation,            upper surface: 146C. Venation, lower surface: 146B. Petiole            length: About 10 to 12 mm. Petiole diameter: About 3 mm.            Petiole texture, upper and lower surface: Smooth, glabrous.            Petiole color: 146C with a slight cast of 184D.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Numerous and consistently double            orange flowers. Freely and continuously flowering. Flower            buds open similar to a rose in fullness; flowers rounded.            Usually 8 to 15 flowers and flower buds per lateral branch.            Flowers positioned above the foliage and typically face            outward to upward. Flowers last about 7 to 10 days on the            plant. Flowers not persistent. Flowers not fragrant.        -   Flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse conditions. In            the garden, flowering from spring until fall. Flowering            indeterminate and continuous.        -   Flower diameter.—About 4.5 to 5 cm.        -   Flower depth (height).—About 2 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Rate of opening: From full color bud to full            open flower, about 5 to 7 days is typical depending on            temperature. Length: About 15 mm. Diameter: About 12 mm.            Shape: Obovate. Color (just before opening): 41B.        -   Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: About 20 to 25; imbricate.            Length, outer petals: About 20 to 22 mm. Width, outer            petals: About 18 to 20 mm. Shape: Cordate to ovate. Apex:            Rounded with most petals showing indentations. Base: Acute.            Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous,            smooth. Color: When opening, upper surface: 40A. When            opening, lower surface: 41C. Fully opened, upper surface:            41A. Fully opened, lower surface: 48B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 30 to 35 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Angle: About 45° to the lateral branch. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 146B.-   Reproductive organs: Not applicable due to full double flowering.-   Fruit/Seed development: Fruit and seed development has not been    observed.-   Disease/Pest resistance: Plants of the new Impatiens have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Impatiens.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Impatiens have been    observed to be tolerant to rain, wind, and temperatures ranging from    5 to 38° C.

1. A new and distinct variety of Impatiens named ‘Cameo Orange’ asherein described and illustrated